What was supposed to be a normal walk home from school turned into a living nightmare for one UK dad and his three young children.

Rowan Skinley was making the short walk home with his kids when, in an instant, his 3-year-old daughter Bunnie was viciously attacked by a dog — an attack that nearly cost her her life.

According to The Mirror, Rowan was walking with his three kids when a Cockapoo lunged at little Bunnie.

The dog dragged the toddler to the ground and tore through much of her arm. Rowan later described the horrifying scene, saying Bunnie was “ripped open.”

The terrifying incident happened near a primary school in Kent, England.

A 3-year-old may be resilient, but against a dog attack like this, Bunnie stood no chance. She was rushed to the hospital with serious injuries after bystanders ran over to help. She required emergency plastic surgery to begin her road to recovery.

Rowan said he had to “hold the skin on Bunnie’s arm together” while waiting for doctors to operate. To make matters worse, the dog’s owner reportedly fled the scene and hasn’t taken any responsibility for what happened.

”I was so shocked”
According to Kent Police, the child was attacked by a small, sandy-colored Cockapoo. Authorities have launched an investigation, British media report.

But how could things go so horribly wrong? While dog attacks do happen, it’s rare for them to be this vicious — especially when it involves a small child.

”It happened parallel to the school on the main road. I was just walking home after the school run. The path is quite narrow, and a woman was walking her dog on the actual road itself,” Rowan explained, speaking with The Mirror.

A happy 3rd birthday to my little Angel 🩷

Posted by Rowen Skinley on Tuesday, September 17, 2024
”Then, out of nowhere, the dog just lunged for my daughter and pulled her to the floor. The owner managed to pull the dog off, but when she did that, it ripped her skin open. I was so shocked. All I had to stop the bleeding was my hands. I had to basically hold her skin together.”

Rowen also said: ”People who saw what happened came over and said that my daughter hadn’t even put her hand out to the dog. The woman just disappeared. She didn’t leave any details or anything.”

Bunnie was rushed to Medway Maritime Hospital right after the attack, but due to the severity of her injuries, she was transferred the next morning to St Thomas’ Hospital in Westminster. Doctors took multiple X-rays to ensure the dog’s teeth hadn’t punctured her bone before performing plastic surgery on her torn arm.

Update on Bunnie
Though she’s now home, the emotional toll of the attack still weighs heavily on the 3-year-old. According to her father, Bunnie is still shaken by what happened and continues to relive the fear.

”She’s doing well now. She’s just a bit shaken and keeps talking about how scared she is of the dog,” Rowen said.

The injuries Bunnie sustained were severe, with large portions of her skin torn apart. What makes her situation even more delicate is an existing lung condition — combined with serious asthma, she had to be treated as a high-risk patient during sedation for surgery.

”She also has a lung condition and really bad asthma so she had to be marked down as a high-risk category for sedation. It’s really upsetting that the woman didn’t stop because it makes you fear for the safety of other kids,” her father added.

Police in Kent are urging the public to come forward with any information.

A spokesperson confirmed that officers are still working to identify the dog’s owner. If you have CCTV, doorbell footage, or witnessed anything, you’re asked to call 01634 792209 and reference case number 46/102876/25.

No parent ever expects a walk home from school to end in horror — but for Rowen Skinley and his daughter Bunnie, that ordinary afternoon became a day they’ll never forget.

What should have been a safe moment between father and child turned into a terrifying ordeal, one that left a little girl fighting through pain, fear, and trauma — all because of a dog that wasn’t properly controlled, and an owner who vanished without a word.

Now, the family is hoping for accountability, for answers — and for the public’s help in making sure this never happens again.